


The "Gaibrow!" õ_Ó Collection

by Teej



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-19
Updated: 2016-03-19
Packaged: 2018-05-27 18:18:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 2,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6294766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Teej/pseuds/Teej
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Beware this man and his eyebrow of doom!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I was challenged to write an "Odd Pairing" for the Merlin fandom between Gaius and his eyebrow... this is the sad sad sad results!

He leaned forwards, peering intently at his face in the mirror. Reaching over, he picked up a tiny comb, thoughtfully brushing the brow in question. “Yes...” he purred at it, “You ought to do very well.” He gave it an experimental lift, and then frowned thoughtfully. “You don't seem to be intimidating enough, though. Perhaps you need a bit of a push?” he murmured to the mirror. He gazed intently at the glass, thinking hard, then he smiled in self-satisfied triumph.

A word, a flash of magic.

Then he turned towards the door...

Merlin was returning home.


	2. Diabolic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gaius doesn't even need to be in the room!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Response to a challenge using the word, diabolic.

“Erm... you're in for it now.” Merlin warned.

Arthur nodded in agreement. “Unavoidable, really,” he pronounced.

“I must concur, my lord.” Leon rumbled behind them.

Gwaine sat before them, head tilted back, a bloody rag under his nose. He eyed them suspiciously. “W.. what are you three on about?”

“Gaius,” Leon said.

“Oh yeah, definitely.” Arthur added as Merlin poured a glass of wine. He guided the cup to Gwaine's hand.

“Gaius wields a mean, diabolic eyebrow, and you're going to feel it's wrath when he learns how you got your nose broke!”


	3. Paybacks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes things go horribly awry, right?

Someone calling his name jolted Merlin out of his sleep. He rolled over, frowning groggily, pushing covers down, when he heard his name being called again.

“Merlin!”

Merlin blinked his eyes open, realizing it was Gaius calling for him. He scrambled out of bed, almost falling down the stairs as he hurried to his mentor's aid.

“Gaius?!” He spotted the old physician standing near a positively ancient looking glass, both hands covering one of his eyes.

The old man spun around, his one good eye full of desperation as he turned to Merlin.

“You must help me, Merlin!” Gaius pleaded. “I can't get it to come down!”

“You can't get it...” Merlin started as he approached the physician. He suddenly stopped when Gaius lowered his hand.

His eyebrow was nearly up into his hairline, frozen in place, his face seemingly paralysed in his penetrating, intimidating, stare.

Merlin stood stock still, then he folded his arms, looking sternly at the old man.

“You're the one to hex it, you're the one who has to undo it.”

“I've tried and I can't!”

“Who's always telling me that I am responsible for my actions?”

“I don't need my own lecture thrown at me, Merlin, I need my face back!”

“Wasn't it you who told me that making faces like that would cause your face to freeze in that...”

“MERLIN!” Gaius bellowed. “Just fix it!”

“No, no, no. Come on, now!” Merlin grinned, waving a long finger of admonition at his mentor. “You're always on my case to watch what it is I am doing, using magic. Now's my turn to enjoy this!”

He tilted his head, smiling like the sun.

“And am I ever going to enjoy this!”


	4. Just Fix It!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's baaaack!

Huffing in disgust, Gaius turned back to the looking glass. He clenched the edges of the table as he leaned forward, glaring into the reflective surface, his brow stubbornly adhered to his hairline.

The ancient words tumbled from his lips and the familiar flash of fire lit his eyes as he tried, once again, to un-hex his stubborn, intimidating, eyebrow.

Merlin stood to one side of the old physician, purposely not standing behind him to avoid being seen in the glass. He heard the mistake in the old man's words as Gaius tried again to get the obstinate, offending, little bush of hair to retreat to it's proper place on his face.

Merlin, looking innocently away, reached up and stroked long fingers across his lips.

Gaius tried a third time to break the curse on his brow.

Merlin whispered a single word, fire flashed in his own eyes, and he covered it all in a throat-clearing cough.

Gaius spun, robes flaring, instantly feeling the effect of his eyebrow dropping back into place.

Then rising again.

Dropping. Rising. Dropping...

Up, down, up...

Gaining speed.

“Merlin!” Gaius bellowed, his brow fluttering like a pennant in a breeze...

“Fix it!”

"NOW!"


	5. The Obsession

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Response to a word challenge for 'Adoration'

Signs of love aren't hard to see.

There are the stolen glances, the tiny smiles full of meaning and love, the soft touch of fingers stroking through hair, the gentle caresses and the muted whispers of sweet, adoring words.

It didn't take long for people to notice and to smile back softly, remembering their own loves, touching cherished memories, feeling the warmth and joy.

It was altogether a different story when it was Gaius sitting in front of a mirror, cooing lovingly at his arched brow as he ran his fingertip over it, smoothing down the white hair, smiling fondly.


	6. What Kills the Cat?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Response to a word challenge using 'Curiosity'.

Approaching the spot where a tiny crack of light appeared, he moved slowly, inch by agonizing inch, eyes wide open, glistening with excitement, head bobbing, trying to focus best through the crack to the scene on the other side. Shivering with anticipation, nostrils flaring and twitching, he peered, so full of curiosity that he utterly failed at not making a sound.

Gaius spun around, looking directly at the crack in the wall and his brow lifted to its full intimidating height.

Hissing in fear, the cat arched his back, hair standing out straight on end, then he turned and fled.


	7. It's Getting Out of Hand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Response to a word challenge using 'Devotion'.

“Devotion notwithstanding, it's really got to stop,” Merlin said, folding his arms, looking at his mentor with his head tipped slightly to one side. 

Gaius, facing the mirror, looked eminently relieved, as he ran his finger tips over one eyebrow, smoothing the hair down. He scowled, turning to look at Merlin. “What do you mean devotion?!”

“To that brow!” Merlin shook his head, “If I didn't know any better, I'd say you had the thing consecrated as a weapon of offense. As it is I just know you're inordinately fond of it. That can be the only explanations for why you'd hex it in the first pace and look where it got you!”

“You mean look what you did with it.”

“Who's always telling me to watch what it is I do with magic?”

“Don't throw my arguments back in my teeth!”

“Ohhh, so what's good for the goose doesn't apply to the gander...” Merlin nodded sagely.

Gaius just looked at him in disapproval, his eyebrow arced and raised. 

Merlin grinned. “There, that's more like it. That’s the look that get results.”

Gaius just snorted in disdain, but turned to look in the mirror nonetheless.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gaibrow... you never know when it's going to strike!

“What the...” Merlin stopped and stared, his hands clutching the oars of a small boat. His passenger, Gaius, who had been gathering certain water plants to replenish his stock, looked at Merlin curiously.

Merlin could only just stare at him, a puzzled frown on his face.

“What?” Gaius asked, depositing a wet plant into a nearby basket, he shook the water off his hands and looked at Merlin with consternation. “Mind telling me why you're gawping... again?

“Your face,” Merlin responded.

“My face has never left you agape quite like that, what about it?”

“There's something wrong with it...” Merlin nodded his head towards the water.

“What do you mean somethings wrong with my face? If this is some attempt to be...” Gaius leaned over the gunwale peering at his reflection. He jerked back, looking at Merlin in accusation. “You said you fixed this!” 

“I did! This is the other side!”

“What have you done?!” Gaius exclaimed, leaning over to look again, trying to pull the offending brow down, back to its proper place. The boat rocked.

“What have I done? I've been with you all day and this only just happened!” Merlin protested, “Why are you blaming me? Watch it will you? We'll both end up in there!”

“How can this happen to the other side of my face?!” Gaius continued, trying to tug his frozen brow back down, causing the boat to rock even more.

“Will you stop upsetting the boat?” Merlin squawked. “I have no idea why its suddenly migrated across to the other side of your face!”

Gaius froze, grabbing the gunwales, trying to help still the boat. He glowered, or tried to but his eyebrows weren't exactly cooperating. “This can only mean one thing then....” he ominously replied, looking at Merlin.

A pregnant pause elapsed as Merlin caught the old's man's implication.

Together they whispered... “Sorcery!


	9. The Night Before

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Response for a 2014 Christmas gift fic for Merlin & Gaius fluffiness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fairy tales and folklore have been thoroughly trashed and broken for this...

The door slammed shut behind them.

“But you were seen!” Gaius erupted, rubbing his arms, his breath visible in the coldness of their chambers. He began a frantic pacing before their blazing hearth.

“So I was seen, doesn't mean they actually saw me.” Merlin protested, rubbing his hands.

“Dragoon is bad enough and the rumours!” Gaius threw his hands in the air. “The rumours are running amok in this place already! How are we going to explain this?!”

“They only saw him, and no one but you knows he is me!” Merlin tried to placate the furious physician. “We don't have to explain anything!”

“But you were seen by the Prince of Orange-Naussau, Merlin! How could you be so careless!?”

“Now wait just a moment! I did prevent yet another magical attack on this kingdom, did I not?”

“But at what expense!?” Gaius turned on him, his features fearsome. “You were seen on that sleigh, Merlin! By not only the Prince, but with Arthur, Uther, and of all people, Geoffrey of Monmouth!” Gaius spun on his heel, beginning his pacing anew, unable to look at Merlin.

“It will all pass, Gaius! You know how this goes and so long as we just stay calm. Everything will be forgotten!”

“How can it be forgotten, Merlin?” Gaius demanded. “You dumped the entire years supply of satsumas out all over the Lower Town. The people are still celebrating!”

“Well, it is the holiday season...” Merlin started.

“And did you really have to bewitch those reindeer to fly?!”

“How else was I supposed to get out of there?” Merlin protested. “Uther's guards were just around the corner. If I hadn't of, well you know, used magic on the sleigh and the reindeer, I wouldn't have been able to escape and then were would we be? At my public execution!”

The sound of footsteps, many footsteps, approaching caused both men to pause in their argument.

“Uther!” Gaius breathed.

“There's nothing here for him to find!” Merlin hissed, unable to prevent a guilty glance around the room, just in case.

The door exploded open and a glowering Uther strode in, hand at his sword hilt as a trio of guards followed behind.

“Search the place,” Uther barked, glaring hard at Gaius then Merlin. The guards scattered.

“My Lord?” Gaius schooled his face into a curious, if somewhat alarmed look.

“We're searching for a sorcerer, Gaius. Don't stand in my way!”

“A sorcerer?! What has happened?” Gaius demanded.

“You haven't heard?” Uther looked accusingly between the pair. 

“I was attending a patient on the other side of the lower town. I heard quite a commotion, but I just assumed it was preparation for tomorrows festivities.” Gaius lied innocently.

“Well, the festivities have started a day early.” Uther snarled sarcastically. “A sorcerer has bewitched the Prince of Orange-Naussau's most generous gift of oranges and reindeer by causing the beasts to fly. The oranges were dumped out all over the public square. There isn't a single satsuma to be found! They were all snatched up by the people. Now I won't get any orange juice in the morning and I have a sorcerer to hunt down and execute. Not to mention eight reindeer hauling a sleigh around that are circling the top of the North Tower!”

Merlin cleared his throat. “Nine.” He murmured, looking at Uther angelically as the king swung around on him with a vicious look on his face. Merlin shrugged. “There were nine of the beasts...”

“Oh dear...” Gaius groaned, as Uther raised a gloved hand towards Merlin, ready to admonish the servant to his son. He was interrupted by more footsteps as Arthur and a troops of guards appeared in the doorway. Uther turned towards him as the trio he had reported that the premises were clear.

“Nothing yet, Father, We're still searching though. Maybe you should have a talk with the Prince? Arthur suggested. “He swears we've been visited by a legend of theirs named Sinterklaas. A tall, old, white-haired man in red robes. Oh, and that we'll never find him, here, apparently he lives at the top of the world in the snow.”

“Sinterklaas?” Uther threw his hands in the air with exasperation. “What more? Toys for all the good little boys and girls?” He glowered at Gaius as the guards cleared out of the room. “If you see anyone suspicious, I want to know it immediately!”

“As you wish...” Gaius murmured.

“Keep searching Arthur!” Uther demanded as the pair split forces and continued in their search. The door slammed shut behind them.

Gaius, unaware he was holding his breath, exhaled in relief then looked alarmingly at Merlin who was trying very hard to stifle his laughter.

“This isn't funny!” Gaius snapped at him. 

“It is if you could have seen what I did to the ninth reindeer.”

Gaius suddenly ran a hand down his face. “Please, don't tell...” he started to say.

Merlin smiled. “I couldn't see where I was flying so I turned his nose into a light.”

Gaius's eyebrow shot clear into his hairline as he looked at Merlin in horror and consternation. “His nose was lit?”

“Bright red. Really glowed too.”

“Merlin!”

A knock on the door silenced them both in an instant and Geoffrey of Monmouth walked in, actually looking animated with excitement.

“Gaius have you heard? A most miraculous sighting and event has occurred. I'm off to the library to get it all written down while the details are still fresh!”

Merlin cleared his throat, “And what would that be?” He asked, earning a glare and diabolic lift of a certain eyebrow.

Geoffrey started his tale.“Well, it is the night before...”


	10. Secret Weapon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Response to LyricalSinger's Throw Down: using the words Laughter, Apprehension, Delicate – From the POV of an inanimate object.

I'm his most valuable weapon. He doesn't need a sword, or a spear, or a knife. 

He has me.

Sure. Go ahead. Scorn, if you must. 

He expertly wields me in subtle, delicate ways known to send kings to their knees begging for mercy. Sorcerers quake with fear and nervous laughter until they realize they have met a force of nature they can't win against. People flee at the sight of me when I rise!

Fear me. You know exactly who I am. 

No? 

The Eyebrow of Doom? 

Now there's the apprehension and terror I thrive on!

I. Am. Gaibrow...!


End file.
